pelvic health physiotherapy help with sexual dysfunction
Pelvic floor muscles play a crucial role in supporting pelvic organs, including the bladder and bowel and urethra. They are intimately involved in sexual function and when they are weak or dysfunctional it can cause pain with sex, urinary incontinence and even sexual dysfunction like premature ejaculation (PE). Women can also experience pelvic floor pain from pregnancy, childbirth, injury or conditions such as endometriosis. We have seen many patients with pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction find relief through exercise therapy that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles.
In men, PE and ED are caused by the bulbospongiosus muscle that is tight and not able to relax with sex. This can lead to a reduction in the force that is needed for penetration and can contribute to pain with sex. PE and ED can be caused by surgery, trauma or injuries such as car accidents, sport related injuries, work injuries and some medical conditions such as prostate problems, prostate cancer and radiation/ chemotherapy treatment.
A Physiotherapist with specialized training in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy East Sheen will conduct a thorough subjective and objective evaluation to determine the underlying factors contributing to your symptoms. This may include assessing your external genitalia – looking at the outside muscle and nerve function – as well as an internal vaginal exam. The physiotherapist may also need to assess other areas of the body such as breathing, movement patterns and overall strength and conditioning of the lumbar spine and pelvic area.
Can pelvic health physiotherapy help with sexual dysfunction?
If the physiotherapist suspects that your pelvic floor muscles are not working properly they will use various techniques to strengthen these muscles, such as EMG biofeedback with electrodes that measure muscle activity and then teach you how to retrain these muscles using reinforcement exercises. They will also use electrical stimulation, and low level laser therapy to help to normalize muscle and nerve function. They may also prescribe a specific at home exercise program to assist with your recovery.
Some people will require a prescription from their doctor to see a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, and they can usually be referred to one by their GP. A physiotherapist will take a detailed history of your symptoms and perform a physical examination, including an internal vaginal assessment to look at muscle function and the bladder and bowel. They will often need to ask you to sit on a chair and contract your pelvic muscles with your eyes closed to assess their function.
The therapist will then design a personalized plan with short and long term goals, taking into account all of the factors that are contributing to your symptoms and dysfunction. They will also take into account any medical or psychological issues that may be influencing your pelvic floor muscles and sexual functioning. They will often be able to refer you for further tests or to another provider if they feel that this is necessary. They will discuss the benefits and risks of each of these options with you. Because of the intimacy involved with this type of physiotherapy, some individuals prefer to have their physiotherapist be of a same-gender.
